USCB Undergraduates and Postbacs,
& Visiting Scholars (Summer 2024)
Aydanni Gonzalez (Postbac)
Hello, my name is Aydanni Gonzalez. In April 2024, I became a graduate of USCB. Since earning my bachelor's degree in Biology, I am on track to get my master's in physician assistant studies. Being raised in Beaufort, I've grown to love the outdoors and its wildlife. I spend my time exploring new places, participating in conservation efforts, and taking care of animals. I am grateful to be a part of this research team where I can apply my newfound knowledge and experiences to projects that are based in the environment I grew up in.
Brendan Cruz (Junior)
Hi! My name is Brendan Cruz. I am currently majoring in Marine Biology at the University of South Carolina Beaufort. I became a PADI certified SCUBA diver as a teenager and immediately fell in love with the ocean. Seeing an entirely new world underwater gave me goosebumps and started my interest in everything underwater. The more I learned about marine life, the more I realized how much I wanted to research and work with it. I'm extremely grateful to have received Summer funding through the USCB SRE initiative for the past two summers. Based on research conducted in Summer 2023, I published my first first-author paper in the journal ZooKeys. My research was also featured in Carolina CrossTalk. In the future I hope to continue doing research with a focus on biomedical informatics.
Hanna Busby (Junior)
Hello, my name is Hanna Busby. I am a rising junior at Boston University, majoring in Marine Science with a minor in Environmental Remote Sensing and GIS. I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, but spent many summers on Hilton Head Island, which led to my passion for marine conservation. I also grew up in a family that loves the outdoors, which fostered my love for learning and nature. Right now, I am enjoying the outdoors working as a kayak guide for Outside Hilton Head. I am looking forward to growing my knowledge of the low country and enjoying all the wonders it has to offer!
Lynette Wyant (Sophomore)
I am a rising sophomore majoring in Biology with a concentration in Coastal Ecology and Conservation at the University of South Carolina, Beaufort. I thrive on challenges and began my work career in the accounting field, having studied at the University of Virginia. I worked in the banking sector for twelve years before turning to law enforcement. I retired from the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Virginia after twenty years and my husband and I relocated to South Carolina where we had spent many vacations enjoying the coast. As I have always been interested in Biology, specifically Marine and Coastal Ecology, I am currently pursuing those interests. My hobbies include golf, horseback riding, hiking and painting. I am excited to be a part of this research team and to expand my knowledge while contributing to our understanding of the local ecology.
Taylor Keyman (Junior)
Hi! My name is Taylor Keyman. I am a rising junior at the University of South Carolina Beaufort. I am majoring in marine biology. Last summer, I was part of the summer research team and was one of the many co-authors on a paper published in ZooKeys. I have my open water scuba diving certification through SDI, and I plan to get more scuba certifications in the future. I have always had a passion for animals, but scuba diving is what lead to my interest in the underwater world. After USCB, my goal is to go to veterinarian school and become and aquatic veterinarian. I am looking forward to learning more about the ocean and learning new research skills!
Colin Smith (Sophomore)
Howdy, I’m Colin Smith, currently a marine biology major at The University of South Carolina Beaufort. I grew up in Florida where I discovered a deep love of the ocean and wetlands too. A good while ago my family moved up to South Carolina where we remain. But for as long as I can remember I’ve known I wanted to be a marine biologist. I adore spending time hiking and camping with friends and while other interests have taken hold of me nothing has shaken that love for the oceans. I am ecstatically excited to be contributing to research and to be part of this team!
Maddy Katz (Junior)
​Hi, my name is Maddy Katz. I am a rising junior at Deerfield High School in Deerfield, Illinois. Since I was very young, I have spent every summer in Bluffton, SC, and I love it here. I am very excited about studying marine biology and have been passionate about the ocean since age 3. In 2022 I became a PADI certified scuba diver and worked on coral restoration in the Florida Keys. This lead to me applying for, and becoming, a NOAA Ocean Guardian Youth Ambassador. I love studying everything biology-related in high school, and am looking forward to working in the lab with Dr. Brugler and the members of the Tidal Marsh Task Force this summer.
Chloe Mullinax (Freshman)
Hi! My name is Chloe Mullinax and I am a rising freshman at the University of South Carolina Beaufort and I am majoring in marine biology. I grew up in Salisbury, North Carolina but fell in love with the ocean after spending much of my childhood in the Florida Keys and experiencing all of the wildlife down there. I have always been adventurous and interested in everything ocean based. I am excited to learn so many new things about our ocean and help conserve its beauty!
Haley Cooper (Sophomore)
My name is Haley Cooper and I am passionately pursuing a degree in Marine Biology at USCB. I’m fascinated with the underwater world and everything that comes with it. Outside of the classroom I am doing what I can to further my experience to get me closer to my career. I recently got my SCUBA license through NAUI and am constantly looking to be apart of research projects. I am so thankful to be apart of this research team and I can’t wait to see where it takes me!
John Ankney (Junior)
Growing up along the western edge of the Bitterroot Mountains on the Nez Perce reservation it was impossible not to fall in love with the outdoors. Between the rivers, prairie and mountains there was no end of places to explore. After High School I joined the Marine Corps, traveled around our country, and visited several others. When I arrived in Beaufort SC I fell in love with the waterways and marshlands. The diversity of the aquatic life here amazes me. After 10 years here, I decided to find a path that would allow me to work in and care for the local salt marsh and coastal waterways. I have just completed my first year in the USCB Marine biology program and I am very much looking forward to exploring the research opportunities here. I am also currently working towards my USGC Master Captain’s license.
Maria A. Carolus (Junior)
Jello! My name is Maria Carolus, currently a Junior majoring in Biology with dual concentrations in Coastal Ecology & Conservation and Marine Biology at The University of South Carolina Beaufort. My love for the ocean runs deep, sparking my fascination with sharks, squids and octopus, sea slugs, bioluminescent marine life, and most other creatures beneath the waves. My life here is shared with my husband and four beans (dogs) and tarantula. Close family and friends are extremely important to me as well. In my free time, I normally go biking, swimming, read a lot, play video games with my husband and friends, and explore a lot of arachnology & herpetology. Initially I tend to be reserved, but once I feel comfortable around people, I become more open. My experience at USCB was fairly typical until I enrolled in the Marine Biology Internship. Despite initially dropping the class due to a misunderstanding, Dr. Brugler reached out and offered his guidance, allowing me to be able to participate in the internship. I am immensely grateful for his support and opportunity to contribute to the research being conducted. I have thoroughly enjoyed my field experiences and time spent in the lab, which have revealed to me a genuine affinity for certain aspects of laboratory work. I aspire to use this knowledge to more effectively enhance my understanding and contribution for the conservation of marine life.
Principal Investigator:
Mercer R. Brugler
Changing the Face of Science in the Lowcountry
